The Cross
by Godspellfan
Summary: Sequel to The Set. A new friend comes along, money is made, lives are taken, and questions are asked. And who is Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer?
1. Captain Elton Jackson

So, I'm not going to continue the story. Instead, I'm going to make a new one. This one will be much better. I promise. Just read it!

* * *

Finally, after three days of camping and flying, our hero and his faithful crew were in an Earth kingdom market place, with the green of Earth kingdom decorating every stall. It was about midday, with the sun raining down on every shopper.

"I love this place," yelled the oldest of the Avatar crew, "it has forty-seven different types of meat!" His eyes were wandering from stall to stall, looking for the perfect lunch for himself.

"MEAT!" yelled the animal boy, oblivious to the fact he was more energetic then Sokka was. He started running to a stall, but the sound of a female voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Hold on," Katara said. She was the real thinker of the group, Aang was easily distracted, Toph was blind, Luke acted like an animal, and Sokka was, well, Sokka. "First, we have to get some supplies. Fortunately, I already have some for Luke," she said, trying to look serious as she spoke. It didn't work. She instantaneously took out what she was clutching behind her back. It was a collar and leash, to keep him in check. He, however, had different ideas.

"NO NO NO NO COLLAR!" He was trying to run away while he was protesting when Sokka jumped from his standing position to pin him down, with his body keeping the animal boys entire weight down. He was still struggling when Katara fastened the leather collar to him and attached the leash. She held onto it with a single hand while Sokka got up, however Luke was still running. People were starting to stare.

"Now," the waterbender started, "this is just temporary. It's to keep you in check. Remember when we set up camp and you went out for three hours?"

Everyone remembered that. It was when Luke saw a squirrel and started to chase it. He followed the scent of the brown squirrel, he loved to chase things. After an hour of chasing, he suddenly realized that he was lost. Not wanting that to happen again, the first place Katara went to when she got to the city was a pet store.

"But why do I have to wear this? Couldn't I just be careful?" Luke said as he put on his sweetest face, and cutest voice. He had his lower lip protruding and quivering, in an attempt to soften her up. The expressions he was wearing could melt snow. However, Katara had planned for this.

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be in good hands. Toph, here," she said, giving the oppressive harness to Toph.

"No fair! She's blind!"

"Exactly." Katara knew that Luke would use facial expressions to get out of his situation. However, Toph, being blind, was completely immune to expressions.

"NO FAIR!"

"SIT BOY!" yelled Toph.

In another dimension, a white haired hanyou was napping high in a tree, when he was forcibly shoved into the ground by seemingly nothing, creating an impact mark where he hit.

But that isn't important. What is important is that the next second, Luke was mauled over by a guy with long, black dreadlocks, and a tricorne hat, and black boots. He was about as tall as Katara, with tanned skin, about as tanned as Sokka. (A.N.: Think Jack Sparrow)

"I'm sitting now, happy?" said an unhappy Luke to Toph, with his head still buried in the ground.

"Hey hold it right there!" yelled Katara to the unknown person.

The person turned around to reveal blue eyes, just like Luke's.

"Hello miss, how may I help you," he said as he walked up to Katara showing off a cheeky smile and moving his head around in near circles, until he got to her and he stared her in the eye with a smile that showed he meant business. Aang's blood started to boil.

SLAP.

The man instantly had a red mark where Katara's hand had come into contact with his cheek.

"I did nothing to deserve that," said the man in a tone much lower than any of the other members of Aang's crew.

Just then, a girl, about Katara's age and height, wearing traditional Earth Kingdom drag walked by. The unknown person immediately gave a greeting.

"Margerite!"

SLAP.

Margerite, as she was called, left another slap mark on the same cheek where he had been slapped by Katara.

"Now, I did do something to deserve that."

"Who are you?" said Sokka with a tone that made clear he had no idea who this man was.

"Who, me? Why, I'-"

"He's Elton Jackson," said Luke, which caused stares of confusion coming from everyone, except Elton, who never turned around.

"_Captain_ Elton Jackson. The greatest pir'i't' in the wo'ld. Now who are you?" he said as he turned around.

Just then the so-called captain stopped dead in his tracks to find out who the voice had come from. His face turned from a cheeky smile to a look of sheer amazement. He finally saw the animal boy, with a collar and leash around him.

"If it isn't the boy who saved me life."

* * *

DUN DUN DUN-DRAMATICNOISESEQUENCE! Well, things now get interesting. By the way, that is how I act when I go sailing. I'm a pirate, after all. I even call myself Captain Elton Jackson. 

Please Review!


	2. You're Just an Idiot

This is going to be a small introduction. I have already finished the ending, so don't worry about that. This is just showing how goofy Elton is.

I will make a new chapter, explaining everything. For now, just read it!

* * *

_Just then the so-called captain stopped dead in his tracks to find out who the voice had come from. His face turned from a cheeky smile to a look of sheer amazement. He finally saw the animal boy, with a collar and leash around him._

"_If it isn't the boy who saved me life."_

"You know him?" asked Katara, disbelieving.

"Unfortunately."

"Now, now, I'm sure we can all settle this hatred of me with some nice rum."

"No," all five said at once.

"Well then, I might as well tell you who I am. I am Captain Elton Jackson, the greatest pirate in the world."

"And he really is."

Katara realized something at that moment. Her grandmother's proposal necklace was missing. As she put up her hands to check, Elton interrupted.

"Looking for this?" he asked with the same annoying smile, holding up the necklace in his hand.

SLAP.

"Well, I do like 'em feisty."

SLAP.

"Okay, now that really hurt."

SLAP.

"You can stop!"

SLAP.

Elton took a step back. He started rubbing his cheek.

"Baby got back!"

By now Katara was very angry. She was trying hard not to blush from embarressment. She grabbed the necklace, put it on, and attempted to slap him again.

THWACK.

Apparently Aang had had enough too, so he had taken out his wooden glider, and hit Elton, nearly splintering it in the process.

Elton stayed with his bold grin for three, maybe four seconds, before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unconscious.

"If the is the worlds greatest pirate, then piracy has really gone downhill," said Sokka, obviously not impressed.

* * *

Review! Or I might have to threaten you with this loaded revolver! I'm just kidding, I have a shotgun... 


	3. The Sixth Member

Ok, before you read this...I AM SORRY! It wasn't supposed to take this long, but with school in, it might take a while for me to make a chapter. JUST FREAKING READ THE STORY! I PITY THE FOOL!

* * *

It took at least four hours before everyone other than Luke and Toph would allow Elton to join the gang. Everyone else had his or her own individual reasons. Katara didn't want him, because he tried to flirt with her. Aang didn't like him for the same reason. Sokka didn't like him because he kept saying he would be the captain. Luke personally didn't see anything wrong, but still thought Elton had the I.Q. of a picken, and man, were those things stupid. 

Katara was the first to cave. Luke made him promise he would not, under any circumstance, seduce, chat up, wink at, hit on, or otherwise flirt with Katara. Aang wanted it in writing. Elton, claiming he did not know how to write in Chinese, only speak it (badly) he wrote it in a language he and Luke both understood: English. Aang, along with Katara, Sokka, Toph had never heard of this language, but Luke had. They claimed that was the language where their names originated.

After Luke had pointed out that Elton had not included the word "not" from the contract, Elton signed it, and gave it to Aang.

Sokka was the last to give in. However, after Elton threw him a bag full of silver coins, Sokka was already calling him "Captain."

"Alright," spoke Elton with new-found determination, "it's time to head out. Grab all of your belongings, and we'll be going."

"But what about Appa?" asked Aang.

"Who's Appa?"

Katara answered for Aang. "He's our flying bison. We use him to get around."

"Yes, because a flying bison blends in so well against blue sky. No. We need a ship."

"But we don't have any money," answered Toph.

"Who said anything about buying a ship?"

"We can't have the Avatar associate with criminals!" exploded Katara.

"Sokka?" asked Elton.

"I agree with the _Captain_," he said with a grin.

"Luke?"

"Oh, no. Not me. I'm not voting. I remember the last ship you had."

"Toph?"

"I think it would be a change from flying on old fuzzball."

"Momo?"

All that came from the lemur was a cock of the head, and a stare at him.

" Fine! Be that way! Well Katara, it's three to two. Now about that ship..."

"Wait, Aang hasn't voted!"

"As long as Appa comes, I'm fine," said Aang, a little guilty, but still with a smile.

"Alright, fine," snapped Katara, annoyed. "What ship will we be taking?"

"Ever heard of the Ansatsu-sha no Mizuchi?"

"Wait, no way. That ship is an Earth Kingdom navy ship. You'd have no chance to get close to it, let alone steal it," replied Toph, now sceptical.

"I prefer to think of it as high risk trading." At the sound of this, Aang and Sokka looked at Katara, who was simply gaping at the irony. "Well, let's be off mates! I want my ship soon." _And soon I'll have my old ship from those thieves._

* * *

O.K, once again sorry for taking so long. I will try to update more often, but I can't promise anything with school in session.

Oh, and also, literally translated from Japanese, that name means Killer of Sharks. I think it sounds cool.

Now...**REVIEW!**


	4. It's Always Just Business

Well, I got bored. You know how it is. Now, I could have let this thing die. But I didn't. I instead took this from this writing of a thirteen year old fanboy to a sixteen year old hater of cute and cuddly things. I am going to make this story better. I am only leaving the last parts up so people don't think I am just inventing random characters with no backstory. I hate it when people do that.

Disclaimer, or something: If I owned Avatar, I would not be here on , with these idiotic fangirls.

Other disclaimer, or something: Don't sue me. I own golf clubs.

Other third disclaimer, or something: I hate fangirls.

* * *

Luke, now standing on two legs, entered the captain's quarters. Elton was standing in the wooden decorated room, surrounded by Earth Nation military insignias. He knew if he took away the wood, the floors, walls, and ceiling would actually be made of metal. Maps of the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom decorated the walls of this large room. A fine carpet was in the center of the floor, and on that carpet was a desk, with many bottles on top of the desk, some filled, some not-so-filled, all smelling of alcohol. Elton stood at the back, looking out a square window to see if anyone was listening, or even near the quarters. Without turning around, Elton said, "Did you trick them?"

Wearing a smirk he replied, "Yes, they all bought that I acted like an animal."

At this Elton turned around smiling, giving a holler of "Hot damn!" and picked up a full wine bottle off of his desk. He broke the top of the neck, not using the bottle opener sitting across the room, put the bottle to his lips, and drank its entire contents in a single gulp. He let out a sigh of relief when he was finished.

"What is that?"

"Cactus juice."

"Any good?"

"I've had stronger." He set the empty bottle down onto his desk, and then walked Luke out of his "office" to the deck. With his arm on Luke's shoulder, he strolled them both to the left railing. They looked over the sky, lit up orange due to it being late enough for a sunset.

His plan had worked perfectly. Captain Elton Jackson was now trusted by the Avatar and his friends. "Who would actually believe that it's even possible?"

As an afterthought he added, "What's the deal with you and the blind girl?"

Luke tensed and said, "We had to make sure the Avatar was in love with the girl you flirted with. I took away the only other girl he could care about. That left Katara, and he was mad enough at you for flirting with her that he smacked you."

"Since when do consiglieres have to do field work and take punches?" Elton mused, rubbing his cheek where Katara had hit him multiple times.

"I guess that's what they mean by a wartime consigliere." Both laughed.

Both he and Elton were consiglieres; advisors to a man who had singlehandedly created an empire upon money. They weren't recognized as a nation (they weren't even from that part of the world), but they were considered to be more powerful than all the other nations combined. The man, more of a legend, Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer, was one of the most powerful men in the nations; he was the big boss, and their employer. He was the one who had found the Avatar, who had created the story, who had thought of ways to test what the Avatar wanted, who had bought the Ansatsu-sha no Mizuchi from the Earth Nation army; in order to trick the Avatar and friends; and who had been able to give Elton his nearly limitless supply of money.

Usually there was only one consigliere, but Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer had insisted on getting the slightly younger (he looked much younger than he actually was) Luke as another consigliere, despite protests from Elton.

They clashed on everything. If Elton said black, Luke would say white. They never agreed on anything. They would argue for hours in front of their boss, almost duking it out. But they did agree that harnessing the Avatar's power would be a certain way to power.

Luke spoke, "I got a question though. How did Toph, a person of this place, know Music of the Night, something that won't be written here, _ever_?"

"I may have…happened to sell the script of Phantom of the Opera to…multiple opera houses around this place. Not my fault. I needed rum."

"We're not supposed to give any indication that we're different!" Elton smiled. "What is so funny?"

"That time that Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer had just found this place, and he wanted to come here, you said it was brilliant idea to bring change. Now you're trying to make sure that we keep everything the same."

Now Elton and Luke looked over the balcony, looking at the sunset.

Elton was the first to speak. "You love her, don't you."

Luke looked back at Elton. "Who?"

"The blind girl."

"No. It's just business."

"That's why you care."

"It's just busin–"

"No, it isn't. You love her."

"It's just business," he replied, looking forward again. We'll get more out of the Avatar with someone to whisper things into one of his trainer's ears."

"It won't help if I have to kill this girl, simply because she learned too much."

_If she learns too much I'll kill you, you cockney jackass._ "If she learns too much, I know where my loyalties lie."

_If she learns to much you'll kill me, and call me a cockney jackass._ "I know, I just like to be sure. We can't have lovesick puppies running around, when I need to take the Avatar to Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer. It will screw up everything."

"How will the fact that Toph loves me and I love her screw up anything?"

"It won't matter if you're not in love, now won't it?"

"Damnit, I'm being serious. You can romance up any woman, without question, but I can't love one?"

"Love is different than sex. Sex is animalistic. It's even in that religious book neither of us believes in."

"The Bible?"

"That's the one. You can leave after sex. Hell, I do it all the time. Look at Margerite."

"Margerite's working for us, and she still slapped you. It's a wonder you haven't been killed by angry women."

"Love is different. It screws with men's minds. It makes people do things they wouldn't do normally. It can cause war, violence, destruction, and death."

Luke looked back at his companion, not believing a word he said. "Name one time, throughout the history of time, that love for a woman has caused any of the things you said."

"_Troy_."

"You know me. With me, it's always, and because it's you I'm going to repeat, always, just business. I'm not in love with Toph."

Luke looked out at the sunset, knowing that he had lied to Elton about being in love with Toph. Elton kept talking, mostly telling him that love was really bad for business, even worse with him being a consigliere. He didn't really care what Elton said, he was in love. Even if it was based on a lie.

"What was that?" Luke said. He had though he had heard a click.

"What was what?"

He dismissed the sound, as Elton didn't seem to react.

"Alright, just make sure that your relationship _is_ just business. Love is a liability."

Luke continued to stare out at the horizon, not caring what Elton said. Elton turned, took two steps, and turned back around again. "Oh, before I forget, Ziggy Wheeler Soul Stealer has a message for you."

This Luke did care about. He turned around, "What is it?" to see a revolver pointed at his face.

_**BANG.**_

The projectile hit his skull, propelling him backward. His legs wouldn't steady him as he hit the railing, and he continued going backward. He fell into the water and sank below.

He could see Elton mouth, "It's always just business." Elton's cry of "What the hell was that?" was nearly muted to him. He smiled hysterically at Luke and hid his revolver in his coat. Then blackness.

* * *

Yes, he's dead. He's dead. Dead. Dead. That's right, I kill off people for real. I like to kill people, usually for no reason, which is most likely why I play Grand Theft Auto.

I don't know if anybody actually reads this fanfic, and I certainly don't know if anybody read this far. But if you do, and you don't review this, I am going to hunt you down.

So what do you think you should do?


End file.
